Coaches Conference partners IAAF and WMRA together

In another sign of the growing cooperation and partnership between the IAAF and the WMRA, the two organisations will run a joint coaches conference before this yearâ€™s World Championships in Andorra.

The IAAF/WMRA Mountain Running Conference will take place on Friday, 14 September, two days prior to the championships, and will follow the successful format the IAAF has used for coaching seminars at its World Athletics Series events.

The conference will feature a keynote address by renowned endurance training expert and IAAF lead lecturer, Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hartmann of Germany, and a presentation by six-time world mountain running champion Andrea Mayr of Austria and her coach/husband Andreas Sitz.

The IAAF Development Department regards the conference as an exciting initiative that will contribute to the further development of mountain running. WMRA President Jonathan Wyatt encouraged all of those with a specific interest in mountain running to attend.

"We are organising an evening for athletes and coaches to come and hear from the very best people about how to improve and get faster," said Wyatt, who also ran to six world mountain running titles. "Mountain running has plenty of differences from other forms of running so it is a good chance for people to come and ask their questions and learn."

"If this event is a success then the WMRA would like to expand this idea and help organise more events for people interested in coaching and mountain running training."